Swift Hitch

[BrianW]

I have been looking for something just like this. I want a setup that is portable, mag mount and battery powered. My main use would be on the tractor. When I have my clamp on bucket forks installed I can't see the forks well. It makes it hard to gently slide them into or out of a pallet. I could put the camera in the bucket and look right out the forks. I definitely would use it for trailer hookup too. I also line up the trailer and note the distance. I then make a mark on the ground next to the door to show the point I should back up to. I never seem to get it on the first pass, especially if it is a heavy dual or triple axle trailer that I can't knudge a bit. On my Jeep Liberty, the trailer ball is under the rear mounted spare and if you don't get the height right you back into the spare tire. It would be nice if the video monitor has a reverse switch. I just want it to be cost less than $200.00!

 

[patrick_g]

Brian, There are some real cheap video cameras and monitors. I built my electronic rearview mirror for way under $100. I haven't used it for the pallet forks yet but that sounds likke a good idea as my forks are difficult to see as well and they are dedicated forks not attached to bucket but quick tached like the bucket does.

I don't use the camera set up for trailer hitching. I have a convex mirror that slips on the tailgate and lets me see the ball and the coupler. Worst case yo back up till you see your error and pull up a bit and back upo with a correction till you can see the ball and hitch and it is trivial to nail it on the second try. I can usually nail it perfectly aboiut 7-8 out of 10 times on the first shot. Sometimes glare interferes and I have to spit on a couple small pieces of white paper and stick them to the top of the ball and the hitch for better contrast/visibility. One day if I overcome terminal laziness I could spray a white dot on top of the bulldog hitch. Can't do that to the ball as it would wipe off.

Anyway, I can use the convex mirror through my rear view mirror or by looking back. Works like a charm. Your magnet idea would let you use it on any vehicle. I made mine custom for hanging on a tailgate.

Pat

 

[BrianW]

Pat,
Do you have an online source for cheap cameras and monitors? Ideally battery operated and wireless.

Brian

 

[patrick_g]

Pat,
Do you have an online source for cheap cameras and monitors? Ideally battery operated and wireless.

Brian

The electronic rear view system I built was wired and came with an AC power supply (wall charger kinda thingy.) The voltage was 15 volts but it ran just fine off the 12.6-14.2 whatever voltage of the vehicle battery. I did open the 5 inch CRT monitor and reverse the horizontal sweep connection to reverse the image to lok backwards like a rear view mirror. Then I inverted the actual monitor to make the picture right side up. If I had been smarter I would have just inverted the camera.

Google is my on-line source of just about everything. I don't do as much electronics prototyping and messing about as I used to but there are still lots of sources for components and sub assemblies to replace Radio Shack's migration away from support for the home experimenter toward a cell phone and radio control toy boutique.

I gave Google a shot and got X10 Home Security Camera, Small-Business Security Cameras which has a wireless color camera for $79 that works 100 ft. I also got RC model suppiies with wireless camers in the thousands of $. You should be able to find something in your price range and performance requirements within a few min of searching. You an use any little TV as the receiver. There are 2-3 inch TVs that fit in your shirt pocket. You can get a 5 inch LCD TV for under $100 and use it for other things besides a dedicated rear view mirror. That and a wireless camera for well under $100 and you are in business. If you have or can find a small TV cheaper, your system cost will be lower. If your tow vehicle has rear seat TV, use a mirror to view it from the driver's position and the mirror will do the left right reversal to realistically substitute for a mirror view.

Pat